Can-body forming and seaming machine.



L. 0. SHARP. I CAN BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 2,1909.

Patented Feb.20,1912.

6 sHEBTS-SHEET l.

L. G. SHARP.

CAN BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.2,1909

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Lee C. Sharp, Zlwuentoz,

L. G. SHARP.

CAN BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2,1909.

1,917,815. Patented 58b. 20, 1912.

6 SHBETSSHEET 3.

Elwoentoz 1% ewes:

Lee C. Shgyya, A?

L. C. SHARP. CAN BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1909.

1 ,O l 7 8 l Patented Feb. 20, 191.2.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

IIIHZ :1 m

L ee C. ska r/O, svwentqn XMJAW I. U. SHARP. CAN BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2,1909.

Pawnted Feb. 20, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

119i moeo;

L. G. SHARP. CAN- BODY FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2,1909,

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE 0. SHARP, OF PLATTS-MOUTH, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW- YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF. NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Application'filed November 2, 1909. .Serial No. 525,960.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, LEE (7. SHARK-a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plattsmouth, in the county of Cass and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Body Forming and Seaming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of sheet-metal ware, and especially to machines for forming and side-seaming canbodies.

It is the object of my invention to provide a machine which will automatically, rapidly and economically perform the operations of removing a body-blank from a magazine, notchin the end of the-blank, curling the blank Into a tubular -form, lapping and gaging the'lap of the ends of the blank, soldering the lapped portions together, .wiping the seam and ejecting the completed body from the machine.

A further objectof my invention is to provide mechanism for performing the above-functions, which, by a few simple ad justments and without interchanging of parts, may be adapted for making canbodies of any lengths and diameters within certain established maximum and minimum limits.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved means for forming the can-body whereby the same is rendered almost perfectly cylindrical and the further operations thereon necessary in completing the can thereby facilitated.

A further object of my invention is to provide means by which the diameter of the can-body is gaged by the length of the sheet or blank instead of being determined by the" slze and form of the mandrel or part around which the body is held during the soldering of the seam. v

Constructions embodying my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, Fig. 2 is front elevation thereof; with portions' of the turret mechanism at the rearward part omitted, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the turret and adjoining portions. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view takenon the plan "of the lines of Figs. 1 and 3, Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the carriers, showing the means for lappmg and gaging the ity of the machine.

disposed 'in a pile in the magazine and are lap of the seam, Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the seam clamped and the body in soldering position, Fig. 7 is a plan View of the feed-table, Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the transverse-feed and the curling devices, the section being on the plane of the'line z y of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a detail of -frame and near the bottom thereof, the

transverse driving-shaft 3 is journaled in suitable bearings secured to the frame. Said shaft carries at one end the main drivingpulley 4 and atthe other 'end one of a pair of miter-gears-5 by which it is connected with the longitudinal drivingshaft 6; The latter shaft is journaled at the side of the frame in the same horizontal plane as the shaft 3 and is connected at its rearward end with the-yertical driving-shaft 7 by a pair of miter-gears 8.

At the top and front of the main frame 2 is aforwardly extending bracket to the side of which is secured a shelf 9. vOn said shelf are the standards 10 which support one side of the feed-table 11, theopposite side thereof being supported by the side-plate .12 secured upon the frame as shown. Upon the feed-table adjoining the front edge thereof is arranged the adjustable magazine for the sheet-metal body-blanks upon which the machine operates to formthe can-bodies. Said magazine is formed by vertically-extending angle-posts 13, 14, 15 and 16, of which .the first. is fixedly secured upon the table, the post 14 being connected therewith by horizontal rods 17 so as to be adjustable longitudinally of the table, the post 15; being secured upon the table so as to be ad- 'justable transversely thereof, and the post 16 being adjustably connected with the-post 15 by rods 17 similarto those connecting the posts 13 and 14. By the various possi ble adjustments of the angle-posts themagazine may be adaptedto receive body-blanks of any length and width within the capac- The body-blanks are r\ noved serially from the bottom thereof and carried rearwardly over the feed-table by the following mechanism: Between the bearings of the transverse-driving-shaft 3 a cam 18 is secured to the shaft and said cam is normally engaged by'a roller 19 carried by a slotted rod which passes around the shaft at the sides of the cam and extends rearwardly to connect with the lower end ofa lever 20 which is fulcrumed inside of the main frame. The upper end of said lever is connected by a rod 21 with a longitudinally movable slide 22 arranged in suitable guideways in the top of the frame 2. To said slide is secured a plate 23 which extends laterally abovethe shelf 9 and carries a roller 24 which rests upon the shelf, as shown. From the plate 23 a standard 25 extends upwardly and carries a horizontally extending threaded rod 26. Said rod passes through lugs formed on the bottom of the feed-slides 27 and 27*" which are held in suitable guideways on the bottom. of the feed-table, the rod 26 being adjustably connected with the slides by nuts arranged at each side of the lugs. To the slides 27 and 27 a are pivotallyconnected the dogs 28 two of which extend up into each of a number of longitudinal slots made. in the feed-table. The dogs are normally held in raised position by springs 29 placed under the same, and the elevation thereof is adjustedby means of the screws 30 so that the ends of the dogs will extend above the table sufiiciently to engage a body-blank lying thereon. the-same engage the blanks, are provided with renewable hardened wearing-plates 31, as shown in Fig. 10. 1

By the connections described the cam 18 imparts an intermittent reciprocating movement to the feed-slides thesame being positively actuated in the rearward direction, and returned on theforward stroke by the sprin 32 which is connected with the lever 20. t each rearward stroke of the slide 27 the set of dogs carried thereby engages the lowermost blank int-he magazine and pushes the same out of the magazine to the position A, shown in Figs. 7 and 10. At the next rearward stroke the blank is engaged by the dogs on the rearward slide 27 and pushed from the position A to the position,

B upon the rearward ortion of the feedtable which will be deslgnated as the transverse-feed-table 33. In the movement of the blank to each of said positions A and B the edge thereof is gaged upon the dogs 28 and any throwing or displacement of the blank away from said dogs is prevented bythe following devices: Over the transverse-feed table are arranged the guide-bars 34, the outer ends of which are supported by a bar 35 connected with the table, the opposite ends of the bars being connected with the flux-tank-bracket 36 carried by the sideplate 12. The front one of said guide-bars The ends of the dogs, where has connected therewith the hinged bars 37 which extend forwardly therefrom and are connected with the drag-plate 38 which rests upon the table at the position shown, and under which the blanks are pushed in moving from the magazine to the position A. In the front guide-bar 34 are arranged a number of vertically-movable spring-impressed pins 39, of which the lower ends are rounded and normally engage the surface of the table, so that the blank in moving to the position B is pushed under them.

During the time that the blank rests at the position A. and is held by the drag-plate 38, the end thereof which is to form the inner lap of the body-seam is notched or trimmed off at the corners by the following mechanism: At the side of the feed-table is journaled a small shaft 40 which, near the front end thereof has an arm 41 fixedly secured thereto and which carries on the rearward part an arm 42-adjustable longitudinally thereof. Said arms 41 and 42 extend in over the feed-table and are provided with shearing-plates which are adapted to cooperate with similar plates 43 disposed upon the table, the rearward of said plates being adjustably secured and the front one fixedly secured to the table. The front arm 41 has an outwardly and downwardly extending portion connecting with a rod 44 which extends inwardly and downwardly and has a slotted head thereon passing over the longitudinal driving-shaft 6. A cam 45 secured on the said shaft engages a roller carried by the head and intermittently lifts the rod 44, thus rocking the shaft40 and causing the shearing-plates to notch or cut ofi the corners of the blank at the position A. After the blank reaches the position B upon the transverse-fced-table 33, it is enga ed and pushed laterally through the adjusta le curling-aperture at the inner end of said table, by the reciprocatable transverse-feedslide. The said slide comprises a thin top- .plate 46 disposed upon the surface of the table under the guide-bars 34, a "plurality of fingers 47 connected with said plate and extending down into channels in the table, and a bottom-plate 48 disposed below the table and connected with the top-plate by a member 49 extending through aslot in the table. The feed-slide is given an intermittent reciprocating movement by means of a cam 50 secured on the longitudinal drivingshaft 6, the said cam being engaged by a roller carried on the lower end of a lever 51 which is fulcrumed on a shaft 52 jour ward or feeding movement thereof, while the outward or return stroke thereof is imparted by the spring 54, which is connected with an arm 55 secured on the fulcrum-shaft 52 and which extends to' an eye-block 56 on the base 1. The adjustable curling-aperture is formed bet-ween the inner end of'the transverse-feed-table andthe end of a block 57 arranged adjoining the same. The said block is mounted upon a shelf or ledge formed on the side-plate 12 below the bracket 36 and is connected therewith by means of the adjusting-screws 58 by which the block may be moved. toward or away from the end of the table to vary the width of the arcuate slotor aperture between them. The, end of the apertureadjusting-block 'is channeled similarly to the.table 33, the channels, in eflect, intersecting the aperture and thus permitting the movement of the feed-fingers 47 to a point beyond the aperture. The ends oi the feed-fingers are beveled or rounde backwardly and downwardly so that at the conclusion of the. curlingoperation the rearward end of the'blank in passingthrough the curling-aperture will be substantially perpendicular'to the faces of the fingers at the points thereon engaged by the blank.

Below the inner end of the transverse feed-table adjacent to the curling-aperture is arranged the stationary mandrel 59 which is supported at its 'frontend by a standard 60 extending up from the main frame.- In the upper part of said mandrel, a little to one side of a vertical plane passing through the axis thereof, is a longitudinally extending feather 61 which engages the lower side of the table 33 adjoining the curling-aper ture, the end of the table below the'channels for the feed-fingers being beveled back to said feather, as shown in Fig. 8.

- The width of the curling-aperture is so adjusted that when the' blank is pushed through the aperture by the feed-fingers it will be uniformly curled or bent so that every part thereof will tend to assume theform of an arc of smaller radius than that of the can-body into which the blank is to be formed. The curling of the blank causes it, after passing through the aperture, to pass around the mandrel 59, as shown in Fig. 8, until the forward end thereof engages the feather 61, and as the rearward end of the blank leaves the curling-aperture the resilience of the curled body causes it .to close. upon the mandrel so that both ends will engage the feather 61. and the body will hang from the mandrel at the position C shown in Figs. 2 and 10. It should be here noted that the diameter of the mandrel 59 is made smaller than that'of the smallest can-body which the machine is to produce. For cans of relatively large diameter it may in some cases be necessary to employ the arcuate supporting-plate 62 to prevent sagging of the body. Said 'plate is adjustformed an annular T-slot.

abl connected with the mandrel-standard 60- y-means of a stud passed through a ver 'tical slot in the standard.

' After the curling operation is completed and the curled blank hangs upon the mandrel 59 at the position C, as described, it is next engaged by the stripping-fingers 63 and pushed ofl' the stationary mandrel onto one of the carrier-mandrels 64 at the position D. The said stripping-fingers are carried by the slide 22, extending upwardly therefrom and having inwardly-turned ends which extend in toward the mandrel in front of the curled blank at the position C so as tov engage the blank during the rearward movement of the slide. During the movement of the blank off the stationary portion extending through the head, a horizontal flange portion resting upon and secured to the head, and an upper tubular portion extending above the flange portion. The turret-plate 69 is revolubly mounted upon the said sleet-e68, the hub of the plate inclosing the upper portion of and resting upon the flange portion of the sleeve, as

shown in Fig. 4. Upon the lower outer por-.

tion of the turret-plate is secured a ring 70. between which and the edge of the plate is In said T-slot is disposed an arcuate plate 71 from which a connecting-rod 72 extends to the crank-plate I .73 carried on the upper end of the vertical driving-shaft 7. The plate 71 carries on the lower side thereof a pawl adapted to engage ratchet-teeth formed at the inner edge of the slot, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 3. By the reciprocatingmovement'imparted to the said plate 71 by the crank-plate the pawl is intermittently engaged with the ratchetteeth to advance the turret, Secured upon the upper side of the turret-plate and equidistantly spaced around the outer edge thereof, are the'carrie'r standards 74 which support the horizontal radially-extending mandrels 64, one of which is brought to the 1 position .1) adjacent to and in longitudinal alinement with the mandrel 59 at each movement of the turret. i

Each of the mandrels 64. has a longitudinal vertical slot formed therein in which is disposed the depressible gage-bar 75, the outer end of the slot being covered by a circular plate secured on the end of the mandrel. and the upper edge of the bar being carries the clamping-plate 80, said shown.

beveled as shown. Said gage-bar is yieldably supported by springs 76 arranged in pockets formed in the lower part of the mandrel, the springs tending'to hold the bar normally in the raised position shown in Fig. 5, but permitting the same to be depressed until the upper edge thereof lies flush .with the surface of the mandrel as shown in Fig. 6. Each of the carrier-standards has a laterally-projecting bracket 77 thereon in which is secured the end .of a stud 78 which extends outwardly therefrom and parallel with the mandrel. On said stud is pivotally mounted an arm 7 9 which late extending laterally toward the man rel and terminating just above the gage-bar 75, as 7 On the arm 79 adjoining the bracket 77 is a finger 81 which is engaged and pushed upwardly by a spring 82 arranged in a recess in the bracket. The strength of said spring is made sufficient to enable the same to turn the arm upon the stud, engage the clamping-plate 80 with the gage-bar 75 and press the same down into the mandrel, overcoming the resistance of the springs 7 6. I

Extending vertically through the sleeve 68 in the frame-head 67, is a tubular shaft 83 which carries a laterally projecting arm 84 arranged at the lower end thereof below the bottom of the sleeve 68. Said arm 84 is engaged by a roller carried at the rearward end of a lever 85 which is fulcrumed on the side of the mai frame and, extendin forwardly therefrom, carries at its front en a roller which engages a cam 86 secured on the transverse driving-shaft 3 adjoining the main driving-pulley 4. Said cam is adapted to impart an intermittent vertical reciprocating movement to the tubular shaft 83. The shaft 83 carries at the upper end thereof a hub 87 from which an arm 88 extends forwardlyabove the carrier-mandrel which is alined at the position D with the stationary mandrel 59. Through said arm 88 at a position above the carrier-standard, is passed a vertical rod 89 having a head 90 at the lower end thereof, and of which the upper end is threaded and provided with adjustingnuts 91. A'coil. spring 92 is arranged around the rod between the head 90 and the lower side of the arm. At one side of the head 90 the gage-plate 93 is secured thereto and extends forwardly therefrom above the carrier-mandrel. the front end of said gageplate extending through a vertical slot made in theguide-arm 94 formed at the extremity of the arm 88. A laterally-projecting finger 95 on the arm 88 carries a vertical rod 96 which is connected with the fingerby suitable adjustingnuts 97. Said rod 96 is arranged at a position such as to enable it to engage the finger 81 of the clamping-arm,

' t d pre s the same and raise the clampingplate out of engagement with the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 5. In the lower part of the head 90 is a pin 98 which is adapted to engage the carrier-standard when the arm 88 is lowered, and to slightly compress the spring 92, sliding the rod 89 up through movement, after the bottom of the gageplate 93 has reached a position adjacent to but not quite touching the mandrel, the pin 98 engages the carrier-standard to stop the plate at said position. Further downward movement of the arm 88 compresses the spring 92 and engages the rod 96 with the finger 81 of the clamping-arm to depress the same andraise the clamping-plate 80 to a position suchthat a slight clearance space is left between the same and the top of the depressible gage-bar 75. The curled bodyblank is then pushed off the stationary inandrel onto the carrier-mandrel as before described, the insi-de-lap of the body passing under the gage-plate 93 and engaging the inner side of the depressible gage-bar 75. After the body-blank has passed out of engagement with the feather 61 the resilience of the curled blank causes the end thereof to spring in over the beveled upper face of the depressible gage-bar, passing between the same and the clamping-plate, and finally engaging the side of the gage-plate 93, the position then being as shown in Fig. 5. The arm 88 is then raised, and at the beginning of the upward movement the rod 96 releases the clamping-arm which is moved by thespring 82 to engage the clamping-plate with the body-blank adjoining-i theoutside-lap thereof and thereby press the lapped portions into engagement with each. other while the lap is still gaged by the plate 93 and the bar 75, the latter being at the same time pressed down into the mandrel. Continued upward movement of the arm 88 raises the gage-plate 93 clear of the mandrel so that the turret may be advanced to carry the lapped and clamped body to the soldering position E and bring the next carrier-mandrel into the position D to receive a curled body-blank from the stationary mandrel.

From the hub 87 carriedby the vertically reciprocatable shaft 83an arm 99 extends out horizontally above the carrier-mandrel which carries the lapped body at the soldering position E, The outer end of said arm lowered and near the end of said lowering is radially slotted and in said slot is slidably mounted the head 100 which has removably secured in the lower part thereof the wedgeshaped soldering-iron 101. An oscillating movement is imparted to the soldering-head by means of the connecting-rod 102 which is connected with the upper part of the head and extends to a small crank-plate carried on the upper end of the shaft 103, said shaft extending from the crank-plate down through the tubular shaft 83 and carrying at its lower end a small pulley 104' from which a belt 105 extends to a pulley. 106 on the vertical driving-shaft 7. The soldering-iron is heated by means of a gasburner 107 supported adjacent to one side thereof by a hanger-strap secured to the arm 99, the burner being supplied with gaseous fuel through a flexible tube 108. At the side of the arm 99 opposite the gas-burner 1 small bracket is secured thereon in whiclli are mounted the corrugated solder-feeding rolls 109. One of said rolls is connected with a ratchet-wheel 110, adjoining which is pivotally mounted an arm 111 carrying a pawl adapted to engage and actuate the ratchet-wheel. The outer end of said pawlarm is slotted and has adjustably connected therewith a rod 112 which extends downwardly therefrom and at its lower end is adjustably connected with the end of anarm 113 which extends out from a hub 114 carried upon the upper end of the sleeve 68. The said arm 113 carries standards on which is supported a spool 115 of wire-solder. The solder-wire is passed from the spool between the feed-rolls 109 and thence into a guide-tube 116 which is supported by an arm 117 secured upon the arm 99, and which extends to a point adjacent to the lower edge of the soldering-iron, as shown in Fig. 6. At the conclusion of each downward movement of the tubular vertically-reciprocatable shaft 83 which carries the hub 87 and the arms 88 and 99, the soldering-iron is engaged with the lapped portion of the body, as represented in Figs. 1 and 6. By said downward movement of the arm 99 which carries the soldering devices, the feed-rolls 109 are also actuated to feed a portionof the solder onto the iron, the feed-roll actuating-ratchet 110 being advanced by the relative upward movement of the outer end of the pawl-arm 111 which is connected with the stationary arm 113. Thelquantity of solder fed at each movement may be varied by adjusting the. position of the connecting-rod 112 toward or away-from the pivot of the pawl-arm so as to vary the stroke thereof.

After the solderirig operation is com pleted and the soldering devices are raised out of engagement with the can-body, the turret is advanced to carry the soldered body to the wiping position F. Above the 118 is extended from the hub 114 carried on theupper end of the sleeve 68. Said arm has'a radial slot formed therein in which is slidably mounted a body 119 on which is a downwardly projecting finger 120 adapted to engage and wipe the seam of the body at the position F.- A bell-crank lever 121 is fulcrumed on a standard 122 extending upwardly from thehub 114, the lower end of said lever being connected by a rod 123 with the slidable body 119, and the inner end of the lever being connected by a rod 124 with the-hub 87. By said connections the body 119 is moved outwardly at each downward movement of the shaft 83,

and is moved inwardly at each"'upward movement of. said shaft. After the wiping of the seam while at the position F the next movement of the turret carries the mandrelv to the ejecting position G. An arm 125 .upon thehub 114 extends above the mandrel at said position and on said arm is carried a small roller 126 which-is adapted to engage the inclined upper surface of the clampingplate release-finger 81 to depress said finger and raise the clamping-plate as the mandrel approaches the ejecting position. In the arm 125 is a radial slot in which is slidably mounted a body 127 on which .is a downwardly projecting finger .128 adapted toengage the can-body and push the same 01f the end of the mandrel.

The said body 127 is actuated by means of a bell-crank lever 129 fulcrumed on the standard 122, the lower end of the lever'being connected with the body 127 by means of a rod 130, the inner end of the-lever being connected with the hub 87 by a rod 131, and said parts all operating in the same manner as the. similar elements used foractuating the wiping-finger 120.

From the foregoing, the operation of the machine in performing its various functions diameters it is necessary merely to make adjustments of the magazine and, only when the variation is considerable, of the curlingaperture. For making bodies of different lengths it is necessary to make adjustments of the magazine, of the shearing-plates for notching or trimming the end of the blank, and of the solder-feed when the variation in the length of the seam is considerable.

carrier-mandrel at said position F, an arm Now, having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a can-body forming machine, a curling device, means arranged to support a body-blank with one end adjacent to said curling device, and a member movable to- Ward the curling device and adapted to en gage the end of the body-blank remote from the curling device and from said end alone to push the blank through the curling device, said curling device being arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the blank pusher and adapted to deflect the Whole of the advance edge of the blank.

2. In a can-body forming machine, a curling device, rectilinear guiding means having one end adjacent to the curling device, and a member movable through the guiding means toward the curling device, said memher being engageable with one end of a body-blank held by the guiding means and adapted to ush the blank through the curling device independently of other means, said curling device being arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the blank pusher and adapted to defiectthe whole of the advance edge of the blank.

3. In a can-body forming machine, a table, means arranged adjacent to one end of the table to form an arcuate aperture having one end opening at and parallel to the surface of the table, a reciprocatable slide arranged upon the table and adapted to engage a body-blank lying thereon and push the same through the arcuate aperture, and means arranged to receive and support the blank after the same passes through the aperture.

4. In a can-body forming machine, a feedtable, a reciprocatable slide arranged there on, means arranged near one limit of movementof the slide and forming an arcuate aperture having one end opening at and parallel to the surface of the table, a body- .blank magazine carried on the table, means for removing a blank from the magazine and carrying it into the path of the reciprocatable slide, and means upcn the slide for engaging and pushing the blank through the arcuate aperture.

5. In a can-body forming machine, a table having channels formed therein, means arranged at one end of the table to form an arcuate aperture intersecting the channels, a reciprocating slide mounted upon the table, and fingers connected with the slide and extending into the channels, the said fingers being adapted to engage a body-blank lying upon the table and'push the same through the arcuate aperture.

6. In a can-body forming machine, a table havin channels formed therein, means an rang at one end ofthe table to form an arcuate aperture intersecting the channels,

emme a reciprocating slide mounted upon the table, and fingers connected with the slide and extending into the channels, the said fingers being adapted to engage a body-blank lying upon the table and push the same throu h the arcuate aperture, and the ends of tie fingers being formed so that the portions thereof engaging the end of the blank will be substantially perpendicular thereto throughout said movement.

7. In a can-body forming machine, a carrier-mandrel, a stationary mandrel, means for placing a body-blank on the stationary mandrel, means for moving the blank from the stationary mandrel onto the carrier-mandrel, and means arranged to gage the lap of the endsof the blank as the same passes onto the carrier-mandrel.

8. In a can-body forming and seaming machine, the combination with a turret, a carrier mounted thereon, and solder-applying devices arranged adjoining the path of the carrier; of a man'drel arranged adjacent to the path of the carrier, means for placing a curled body-blank upon said mandrel, means for moving the blank from said mandrel onto the carrier, and means for la ping and gaging the lap of the ends of t e blank as the same passes onto the carrier.

9. In a can-body forming and seaming machine, a carrier-mandrel, a depressible gage arranged in the mandrel, a yieldably impressed clamping-member adapted to close upon the mandrel over the depressible gage, means for curling a body-blank, means alined with the carrier-mandrel for supporting the curled blank, means on said support for separating the ends of the curled blank, said separating means being alined With the depressible gage, means for moving the blank from the support onto the carriermandrel, means for moving the clampingmember to a position such as to permit one end of the blank to pass between the same and the depressible gage and thereby lap over the other end ot the blank, and means for limiting said lap.

10. In a can-body forming and seaming machine, the combination with means for curling'a body-blank to a radius smaller than that of the can-body to be formed; of

11. In a can-body forming and seamin machine, a mandrel having a longitudina projecting portion, means for curling a body-blank onto said mandrel so that the ends of the blank engage opposite sides of the longitudinal projection portion, the blank being curled to a radius such that it tends to close upon the mandrel, a carrier-mandrel alinable with the first mandrel, a gage carried by said carrier-mandrel at a position thereon coinciding with that of the projecting portion of the first mandrel, means for moving the blank from said mandrel onto the carrier-mandrel, means for directing one end of the blank so that it will rest against the said gage, means for directing the other endof the blank so that it will pass over the gage and overlap the end of the blank engaging the same, means for limiting the extent of said lap, and means for retaining the ends of the blank in lapped position.

12. In a can-body forming andseaming machine, a magazine for body-blanks, means for removing a blank therefrom, means for notching the end of the blank, astationary mandrel, means for curling the notched blank around said mandrel, a carrier-mandrel, means for passing the curled blank from the stationary mandrel onto the carrier-mandrel, means arranged to permit the resilience of the curled blank to cause the ends thereof to lap as the blank passes onto the carrier-mandrel, means for gaging the lap, means for clamping together the lapped ends, means for moving the carrier-mandrel,

and solder-applying means arranged adjacent to the path of the carrier-mandrel.

13. In a can-body forming and lap-seaming machine, a mandrel, a longitudinal gage carried thereby, a clamp-plate disposed adjacent to the gage, means for passing a curled body-blank onto the mandrel so that one end engages the said gage, means for moving the clamping-plate away from the gage sufliciently to permit the other end of the blank to pass between the plate and gage and to lap over the end engaging the gage, means arranged to limit the extent of the lap. the clamp-plate being movable to clamp the lapped ends between it and the mandrel while the ends are so gaged and limited, and means for separating the limiting means and the body-blank.

14. In a can-body forming and lap seaming machine, a mandrel, means for placing upon said mandrel a body-blank curled to' a radius smaller than that of the body tobe formed, a gage-bar arranged on the mandrel to engage one end'of the blank, the said bar being adapted to permit the other end ot' the blank to spring in over the same and overlap the first end, a gage-plate arranger to engage the latter end of the blank, and a clamping-plate arranged to press the outer lapped end against the inner while they ennected with said stripping means and longitudinal feeding means to simultaneously actuatethe same.

16. In a can-body forming and seaming machine, a turret, a plurality of carriermandrels sustained thereon, a stationary mandrel, means for actuating the turret to move the carrier-mandrels successively into alinement with the stationary mandrel, means for placing a curled body-blank upon thev stationary mandrel, means carried on I said mandrel for separating the ends of the blank, means for moving the blank from the stationary mandrel onto the carrier-mandrel alined therewith, and means arranged upon and adjoining said mandrel and operating to permit the ends of the blank to la to gage the amount of, the lap, and to clamp the lapped ends together.

17. In a can-body forming and seaming machine, a turret, a plurality of carriers mounted thereon, means for actuating the turret to bring each of the carriers successively into a series of positions, aging and clamp-releasing devices arranged near one of said carrier positions, solder-feeding and solder-applying devices arranged near another of said positions, seam-Wiping devices arranged near another of said positions, ejecting devices arranged near another of said positions, a reciprocating actuatingmember, and means connecting said member with the gaging, clamp-releasing, solder-feeding, solder-applying, seam-Wiping and ejecting devices to simultaneously actuate the same.

18. In a can-body forming machine, a curling device comprising rectilinear guiding members arranged to hold a body-blank between them, a movable element adapted to engage the end of the body-blank and to push the same longitudinally through the guiding members, and a part arranged to deflect all parts of the forward edge of the blank simultaneously'and equally from the plane of the guiding members.

19. In a can-body lap-seamin machine, a mandrel, a gage-bar yieldab y mounted thereon, a clamp-plate movable adjacent to the gage-bar and pressed normally toward the same, a gage-plate mounted separately from the mandrel and movable into a relation thereto such that the'same and the gage-bar may simultaneously engage and determine thelap of the end portions of a body-blank disposed around the mandrel, actuating means for moving the gage-plate toward and away from the mandrel, and means connected with said actuating means for releasing the clamp-plate as the gageplate is moved to its position adjacent to the mandrel. v

20. In a can-body forming machine, a table, means mounted upon the table for engaging the end of a sheet and pushing the same off the table, means disposed at the end of the table for deflecting and curling the sheet When ushed off the table, means disposed over the table for preventing buckling of the undefiected part (if the sheet, a stationary horn disposed transversely to the line of movement of the sheet engaging and pushing means in proximity tothe deflecting means to receive the curled sheet, means for transporting the curled sheet along the emme the line of movement of the sheet pushing means and adapted to receive and support the curled sheet, means for transporting the curled sheetalong the supporting means, and driving means connecting the transporting means and sheet pushing means whereby the curling of the sheet and the transportation thereof along the supporting means are positively timed.

Iri testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses'.

LEE C. SHARP. Witnesses:

D. O. BARNELL, ROY G. KRATZ. 

